Visiting the WWII B-24 Bomber Crash Site on Atka Island

We arrived in Bechevin Bay once again, enveloped in the expected fog. This bay was far from ordinary.

On December 9, 1942, a B-24D Liberator bomber named "Our Love" was on a routine mission over the Aleutian Islands. Piloted by Lieutenant William H. Heikkinen, it belonged to the 36th Bomb Squadron, 28th Composite Group, tasked with reconnaissance and bombing missions. During the mission, severe weather forced a crash landing on Atka Island. Miraculously, all crew members survived and were eventually rescued by a search team.

The sight before us was truly astonishing. I've never seen so many WWII artefacts in one month, and here they're not confined behind glass walls; you can actually touch the plane.

Surprisingly, the bomber remains in remarkably good condition considering it landed in 1942 and endured the harsh climate. The cockpit remains intact, and although parts of the cabin are weathered, this is due to the Aleutian people using them to survive the winter.

We discovered signatures dating back to 1966, evidence of numerous expeditions by American and Russian teams exploring the wreck. A jar with a small signature book revealed names of Crazy Sailors and records of early 2000s exhibitions. I estimate fewer than 1,000 people have visited this WW2 bomber, as big cruise ships cannot reach this remote location. Despite Atka having an airport with weekly flights, there's no road to the beach where the bomber rests.

This post is also a tribute to the resilient men who fought to defend these islands. The wreckage stands as a testament to the challenges they faced.

As I write, we're nearing Dutch Harbor, but are being hammered by waves from every direction. The Bering Sea is not treating us well.

I hope you enjoyed this post. We also visited another spot on Atka Island and met the local Aleutian people, so stay tuned for that.

Paul

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